Montana was an attraction for many immigrants, the newly formed government built forts to protect them Montana Fort Assinbone was manned by various units, infantry, cavalry and others, and civilian employees, of the U.S. Army from 1878 to 1911.

At its height, just a few years before it closed, there were 750 officers and men stationed there. It was one of the grandest forts in the U S with companies of soldiers. They were assigned the duty to protect settlers, patrol the Canadian border and stop bootleggers and gunrunners.

Parcels of land from the military installation have been given to the plains for a reservation at Rocky Boy, turned into an agricultural experimentation station and used by Hill County Montana for the largest County Park in the U.S. A few of the original buildings are still standing at the agricultural station, 6 miles southwest of Havre, Montana.

Fort Logan Montana Blockhouse

On 1 November 1869, the U.S. Army established Camp Baker, named after Major E. M. Baker of Fort Ellis, to protect the wagon road from Fort Benton to Helena and the local area miners and settlers. The fort was manned until 1880 and troops from the fort served in the 1877 Nez Perces
Campaign. In 1878, the fort was named Fort Logan in honor of Captain William Logan, killed at the Battle of the Big Hole. The fort site is in Meagher County, Montana and can be reached on a dirt road 20 miles northwest
to White Sulphur Springs, Montana.

Fort Maginnis 1886

Fort Maginnis, established in 1880 by Captain Dangerfield Park, is located on the east side of the Judith Mountaina, east side of the Judith Mountains. Captain Park and his command were given the mission to protect cattlemen from raiding Blackfoot and Sioux. The fort was named for

Major Martin Maginnis Major Martin Maginnis, Montana territorial delegate to the U.S. Congress. By 1885, Fort Maginnis Fort Maginnis, under the command of James W. Forsyth, was active with Crow, Cree, and Gros Ventre of the area Fort Maginnis. Fort Maginnis was abandoned 10 April 1890 and there are only ruins left of this large frontier post. There is an old post cemetery at the site about 20 miles from Lewistown, Montana. Take Highway 87 from Lewistown, Montana and drive towards Gilt Edge and there are road signs directing the way.

Fort Piegan Fort Piegan was a non-military fort established, in October 1831, by James Kipp for the American Fur Company near the mouth of the Marias River Marias River. It was the first successful trading post successful trading post with the Blackfoot Indians. The fortress had three large log buildings surrounded by a 25 foot palisade and was abandoned in 1832.(Gregan Wortman, Billings Gazette)